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Emergency Vets 24/7 was established in 2017 to provide dedicated after hours and emergency veterinary services, as well as intensive care and life support for critically ill dogs and cats. We’re on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so that if your cat or dog is unwell, we’re here to help.
All pets in our care are monitored by vets and nurses on the ground, all hours of night and day. Think of a visit to the emergency vets as an extension of the care you’d receive at your primary care veterinary clinic. We don’t do vaccinations or dentals: we focus on pets who need advanced diagnostics and treatment, after hours help or hospital care overnight. We work alongside your general practice vet and we share patient results and treatments with them after every visit. This way, the Cairns veterinary community can provide comprehensive, long term care for your pet.
Walk-in appointments are welcome. If you can, please phone ahead so our team can prepare for your arrival. We accept patient transfers and referrals from clinics all over far north Queensland, including dogs and cats from remote areas on the Cape.
No appointments required. Walk-ins are welcome, 24 hours a day.
Welcome to Emergency Vets 24/7. You’re in good hands.
Just like a human emergency department, patients at our veterinary hospital are triaged on arrival, with priority going to those with life threatening issues. If your pet is experiencing breathing difficulties, excessive bleeding or seizures, you can expect a very swift response from our team. Your pet could be directed straight “out the back” to the emergency ward. Please be reassured that if this happens, it’s because our vets and nurses need specialised hospital equipment to address your pet’s serious condition.
For all patients, one of our reception team will help you register your pet. They’ll cover details like age, basic medical history, vaccinations and the reason for your visit. This is a very important part of the diagnostic process.
If your pet is initially triaged as “stable”, we might ask you to wait in a consultation room while we attend to medical emergencies. Happily, our consultation rooms are equipped with comfortable sofas, and your pet is welcome to join you on the couch! We won’t forget you, and we’ll get to you as soon as we can.
Your consultation is an opportunity to ask questions. It allows us to listen to your concerns and help build a thorough picture of your pet’s health, and the reason for your visit.
Your vet will perform a physical exam to assess your pet’s heart and lungs, eyes and ears, abdomen and haircoat, plus plenty more. They’ll share their findings and work through the options with you to create a diagnostic and treatment plan within your budget.
The treatment plan may include medication and specific homecare tips, further testing or treatment, or admission to hospital. Thanks to our extensive inhouse laboratory and imaging equipment, we can deliver some results while you wait.
What about cost?
We get it: we are pet owners too! We understand that cost is a factor when it comes to vet bills, and we’re committed to open and respectful discussion with you.
Please expect that emergency veterinary treatments cost slightly more than your general practice vet clinic. This is because our hospital is staffed 24 hours a day and we have extra staff ready to cope with urgent situations. We also have the most advanced suite of veterinary medical equipment in the far north Queensland region, which enables us to provide advanced diagnostics like CT as well as intensive care and life support for both dogs and cats.
If your pet is discharged home and the situation changes or you need additional help, we are happy to recheck your pet for the same condition within 24 hours for with no repeat consultation fees.
Some veterinary emergencies require extra care, and that usually means admission to hospital.
Once you and your vet have developed a treatment plan, we’ll generate a consent form for you to review and sign. It will include an estimate of costs and the procedures involved, as well as a deposit amount which is paid at the time of admission. Please understand that the total cost can depend on many factors including the underlying condition, test results and response to treatment. For these cases, we’re committed to communication with you.
It’s vital that we know how to contact you, so please make sure you’re available to talk. Because we run 24 hours, you’re also welcome to phone in anytime for an update on your pet.
Unfortunately, we are not able to offer inhouse payment plans or credit. However, we do partner with three credit providers: Afterpay, Zip Pay and VetPay, and we’re happy to help you with these options.
Once admission is complete, your pet is transferred into hospital for round the clock care. We look after your pet’s wellness as well as their medical care with spacious kennels, comfortable bedding, and lots of love. We even have a dedicated cat ward which is a calm, quiet area separated from the main hive of activity.
Our vets and nurses are onsite 24 hours a day. Patients are regularly examined and we tailor patient care to the medical needs of each individual patient.
When your pet is in hospital, we prioritise communication, especially if your pet’s status is changing. As we said before, you’re welcome to call for an update at any time of the day or night.
Hospital visits
We often get asked if pet owners can visit their pet during a hospital stay. The answer is that it depends on the patient, the severity of their illness, and activity levels within the hospital.
We will always try to accommodate a visit.
Some patients require strict rest for their recoveries. Two good examples are tick paralysis and cane toad toxicities. For these patients, we recommend holding off on owner visits until the recovery is well underway.
Going home time
When a patient is stable enough to be treated at home, we will arrange this with you. One of our clinical staff will explain discharge instructions, medications and homecare information. We’ll send a report to your general practice vet and advise you to attend follow up exams with them. However, if they’re not available or you have concerns after hours, we are always happy to answer questions!
If after your pet has been discharged yet you feel they are not quite ‘right’, we offer FREE rechecks within 24 hours of being discharged, providing it is for the same condition.
© Emergency Vets 24/7 2025